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Brugnato is one of the most famous towns of the Val di Vara because of its historical tradition and its popluar monuments. Located at the stratum of the Apennines where the Gravegnola and Chicciola Torrents meet with the Vara River. It is located in a plain surrounded by an amphitheater of hills that are covered with pine, acacia, and chestnut trees. The small town was built around the old Benedictine Abbey that was founded at the end of the 7th century then the Brugnato Monks of San Colombano arrived in the territory and later Liguria was conquered by Rotari the Lombard king in 644.
In 1133 Pope Innocenzo II considered Brugnato a diocese, suffragan of Genoa. The small town was always protected by the Republic of Genoa and it was always object of dispute among the noble Malaspina family and the Fieschi family that wanted to settle in the territory. At the beginning of the 14th century the battle between the Guelph’s and the Ghibelline’s made the Bishop of Brugnato escape to Pontremoli and the domination of the town swayed from the Malaspina family to the Fregoso family until the mid 16th century. Then the town went to the Republic of Genoa.
In 1820 the diocese of Brugnata united with Luni and Sarzana until 1929 when the Bishop’s seat passed to La Spezia. Traveling along the old town that has the shape of pliers you will encounter pieces of the town’s past. The compact structure of the town is due to defensive reasons.
The only opening to the town was the two ancient doors that still exist. “Porta Soprana” also called Maestra is located in the West and “Porta Sottana” is located in the East and here you can still see the sandstone portal of the Chapel of St. Rocco and St. Caterina. Following the road you can reach the ancient center of the town, Piazza Maggiore today called Piazza Brosini and nearby you can admire various homes that have portals in stone and sandstone. One on the portals under the “Arco dei Sessanta” was the entrance of the Caserma of the Compagnia dei Scelti of Brugnato of the Republic of Genoa in 1531.
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